The door swings open and Michelle rushes in. Caitlyn barely twitches as she sits on the couch flipping through channels on the television, a bowl of candy sitting before her now primarily full of wrappers.
"Hey, those were for the children, Cait."
"I only ate the Kit-Kats."
"Yeah, those are the best ones. Do you want us to have the worst candy on the block?" Michelle flops onto the couch and removes her side bag.
"No," she says unwrapping another.
Michelle laughs and picks up a generic looking foil-wrapped chocolate.
For a couple moments they sit munching on candy and staring at overdone commercials advertising last minute Halloween deals on costumes, candy, and more.
"So you got a movie picked out?" Caitlyn asks, leaning her head on Michelle's chest."
"Huh?" Michelle asks through a mouthful of candy."
"Tonight. Movie. Pick one?" She rolls her eyes and readjusts her head on Michelle.
"Um, actually. I was thinking maybe we could do something different tonight."
"What? What do you mean different? We do this every year. It's tradition." Caitlyn jolts upright and stares at Michelle.
"I know, but I'm so tired of just staying in and watching movies. I mean it's great, I love spending time with just you, and relaxing, and handing out candy--or whats left of it," Michelle tips the bowl to peer into it, "but I wold love to go out with you."
Caitlyn pushes the wrappers around the bowl. "But it's tradition." She says softly.
"I know," Michelle wraps and arm around her and strokes her side, "just for tonight, baby?"
Caitlyn bites her lower lip, considering. They'd been doing Halloween movie night and passing out candy for six years. She loved being able to just cuddle up to Michelle while being scared out of her mind by what ever horror flick she'd brought home. She loved seeing all the costumes that the neighborhood children came up with. And she especially loved ending the night with a couple shots and light passionate sex that left her satisfied and sleepy.
"If we leave then we can't pass out candy."
"No we can." Michelle rifles through her bag.
"What do you mean? What is it that you want to do?"
"I thought," she pauses to smooth out the orange and black flyer, "that this year instead of bringing the spooky to us, we would go out and find it."
A thin, perfectly manicured, eyebrow arches and Caitlyn leans forward reading over Michelle's shoulder, while she reads aloud.
[ October 31st, join us for a night of pure, delicious, terror. Enter our dungeon maze and find yourself entranced by themes taken from five classic monsters. At this Friday night fright event we're bound to make you scream--one way or another. Event lasting from 5pm to 12:30am.]
"I don't know about this."
"It sounds fun."
"I suppose it does. Still. How much is it to go anyways?"
"Well the flyer didn't say but I'm sure it's not too bad." Michelle tilts her head to the side, "Cait, it's at least worth checking out. And if you don't like it we can always leave."
"Promise?" Caitlyn pouts.
"Yes." Michelle assures.
"Ok, we can go."
It was a forty-five minute drive to the location of the event. Time spent in Michelle's small sedan, with both of them flipping through different radio stations each time a song they liked ended, and musing what level of scare they were going to endure tonight. Caitlyn loved the adrenaline rush from fear.
Caitlyn rolls down her window and eyes the address listed on the building, comparing it with the one on the flyer. It's a giant building that looks like it should house cubicles--not a Halloween themed maze. She hands the flyer to Michelle and points at a nearby parking spot.
"Let's just wait until someone shows up, ok?"
"That's fine with me," Michelle replies as she turns off the ignition.
For several moments they wait quietly. Tight knots bloom in their stomachs. What if they had made a mistake. The amount of time spent driving could have well been put to use for other things.
Suddenly, a man and a woman emerge from around the side of the building. Each is sporting a pair of leather pants, but the man isn't wearing a shirt, just a leather collar. The woman wears a strapless leather bra.
Caitlyn whirrs around to look at Michelle who just shrugs, "costume, I suppose."
She looks at Michelle for a couple more seconds before looking away and doubtful.
"Come on." Michelle places a hand on Caitlyn's thigh, which makes her jump. "Let's head inside and see what this place is all about."
An unconvincing smile plays across Caitlyn's lips as she forces herself to move, unbuckling the seatbelt and pushing open the car door.
A blast of cool air hits them as Michelle opens the building's door for Caitlyn. Not even a moment after entering the building a woman behind a counter greets them. She pulls out a clip board and several sheets of paper. Caitlyn grabs Michelle by the wrist and shoots the woman an inquisitive glance.